First solo flight

A first solo flight is when a student aircraft pilot completes a short flight, including a takeoff and landing, without an instructor aboard. Achieving this milestone is known as soloing. In a more general sense, a "solo flight" or "solo time" refers to any flight time when a "pilot is the sole occupant in the aircraft."^[1]

When piloting an aircraft solo, a pilot must not only fly and navigate the machine competently, but must also be able to manage unpredictable developments, such as mechanical failure or bad weather.